How to Crochet a Peony Flower: Layered Petals Video Tutorial

Make a full, ruffled crochet peony with a bright yellow center and four layers of pink petals. This written companion follows LnM Crochet & Handmade’s flower-head tutorial (Part 1). You’ll find the materials, US stitch abbreviations, base-stitch counts, petal instructions, and timestamps below. The video demonstration is at the end of this article.

Quick view: 4-ply cotton yarn · 2.5 mm hook · 10-stitch center · petal bases of 20, 25, 30 and 30 stitches · 5, 5, 6 and 6 petals. Part 1 finishes the flower head; the stem, sepals, leaves and assembly belong to Part 2.

Materials

• 4-ply cotton yarn in yellow for the center and pink (or another chosen color) for the petals
• 2.5 mm crochet hook
• Stitch marker, scissors and a yarn needle

The finished flower in the creator’s video uses pink petals. Green yarn and floral wire are for the separate stem-and-leaf tutorial, so you do not need them for this flower head.

US crochet abbreviations and petal method

• MR: magic ring; ch: chain; st: stitch; ss: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet; hdc: half double crochet; dc: double crochet; inc: two sc in one stitch
• FLO: front loop only; BLO: back loop only

How the raised petal rows work: Several rows use the Afghan-style technique shown in the video. Starting at the second back bar of the chain, build the stated dc and sc stitches while leaving loops on the hook. Anchor in the next front loop of the petal base. Then yarn over and draw through two loops at a time until only one loop remains. For the little ridge between rows, ch 2, ss into the second vertical bar, then ch 2 before working the next row. Pause the video close-up when placing the hook; this is the one part that is easiest to learn by watching.

Keep the unused back loops: Attach each petal layer through front loops and mark the first free back loop. The next base round is worked into those saved back loops, which lets the layers sit one behind another.

Pattern at a glance

Section	Base count	Petals	Video
Yellow center	10, then 20 sc	5 short + 10 long loops	0:20
First layer	20 sc	5 small	5:15
Second layer	25 sc	5 medium	12:38
Third layer	30 sc	6 large	20:17
Fourth layer	30 sc	6 broad	28:24

Step 1: Crochet the yellow center

1. Round 1: With yellow yarn, make a MR and ch 1. Work 10 sc into the ring, close it, then join with ss in the front loop of the first sc.
2. Round 2: In FLO, make a ch-7 loop and secure it with ss in the same stitch. Skip one base stitch and ss into the next. Continue around to make five short loops.
3. Round 3: Return to the marked back loop. Ch 1 and make an inc in each of the ten saved back-loop stitches. Join in the front loop of the first stitch. Count: 20 sc.
4. Round 4: Through the front loops, make ten longer loops: ch 8, ss in the same stitch, skip one stitch, and ss in the next. Fasten off the yellow yarn. Check: five short inner loops and ten longer outer loops.

Step 2: First layer — five small petals

Join the petal color at the saved back loop. Ch 1, work 20 sc in BLO around the center, and ss into the front loop of the first stitch. Mark the back loop for the next layer. Each petal uses four base stitches.

1. Petal row A: Ch 7. Starting in the second back bar, work an Afghan-style row of 4 dc and 1 sc; anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop base stitch. Return through paired loops.
2. Petal row B: Ch 2, ss into the second vertical bar, ch 2. Work 3 dc and 2 sc in an Afghan-style row; anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch and return through paired loops.
3. Petal row C: Ch 2, ss into the second vertical bar, ch 2. In ordinary crochet, work 3 dc, 1 hdc and 1 sc; ss into the next front-loop base stitch.
4. Ss into the next front loop and repeat rows A–C four more times. Total: five petals.

Step 3: Second layer — five wider petals

Join at the marked back loop. Ch 1 and repeat [3 sc, inc] five times in BLO. Join in the first front loop. Count 25 sc. Make three ss along the front loops to stagger these petals between the first layer.

1. Row A: Ch 8. From the second back bar, make an Afghan-style row of 5 dc and 1 sc; anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch and return through paired loops.
2. Rows B and C: For each ridge row, ch 2, ss into the second vertical bar, ch 2; work 4 dc and 2 sc in the Afghan-style row, anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch, and return through paired loops. Work this ridge row twice.
3. Final row: Ch 2, ss into the second vertical bar, ch 2. In ordinary crochet, work 4 dc, 1 hdc and 1 sc; ss into the next front-loop base stitch.
4. Ss into the next front loop and repeat the four petal rows four more times. Total: five petals, five base stitches each.

Step 4: Third layer — six larger petals

Move three stitches from the previous back-loop marker and join in the saved back loops. Ch 1 and repeat [4 sc, inc] five times in BLO. Join in the first front loop. Count 30 sc. Shift with three front-loop ss.

1. Row A: Ch 10. From the second back bar, work an Afghan-style row of 6 dc and 2 sc; anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch and return through paired loops.
2. Rows B and C: Twice, make the ch-2 / ss in the second vertical bar / ch-2 ridge. Work 5 dc and 3 sc in the Afghan-style row, anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch, and return through paired loops.
3. Final row: After the same ridge, work 5 dc, 1 hdc and 2 sc in ordinary crochet; ss into the next front-loop base stitch.
4. Ss into the next front loop and repeat the four petal rows five more times. Total: six petals, five base stitches each. You may stop here for a smaller peony.

Step 5: Fourth layer — six broad outer petals

Return to the unused back loops. Ch 1 and work one sc in each of the 30 saved stitches; join in the first front loop. There are no increases in this base. Shift with three front-loop ss.

1. Row A: Ch 11. From the second back bar, work an Afghan-style row of 7 dc and 2 sc; anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch and return through paired loops.
2. Rows B and C: Twice, make the ch-2 / ss in the second vertical bar / ch-2 ridge. Work 6 dc and 3 sc in the Afghan-style row, anchor with 1 sc in the next front-loop stitch, and return through paired loops.
3. Final row: After the ridge, work 6 dc, 1 hdc and 2 sc in ordinary crochet; ss into the next front-loop base stitch.
4. Ss into the next front loop and repeat the four petal rows five more times. Total: six broad petals. Fasten off after the final ss.

Finishing and common questions

Weave the ends into the back without pulling the petals flat. Fan the layers gently so the smaller inner petals sit inside the larger outer ones and the yellow center remains visible. Check your counts: center 10 then 20 sc; petal bases 20, 25, 30 and 30; petals 5, 5, 6 and 6.

Can I make the smaller version?

Yes. Stop after the third petal layer for a smaller bloom. Make the fourth layer for a fuller peony.

Where are the leaves and stem?

This Part 1 pattern finishes the flower head. The creator shows the sepals, leaves, stem and assembly in the separate Part 2 video.

Get the free illustrated PDF

Want photo checkpoints beside the instructions? The free eight-page Crochet Peony Flower Illustrated Guide includes selected visual frames, stitch counts and the link back to this tutorial. Open the product page to download the PDF instantly, without checkout.

Watch the original crochet peony video tutorial

Follow the close-up demonstration by LnM Crochet & Handmade. The written steps above are a companion to the creator’s Part 1 video; use the timestamps in the table to jump to each layer.